Castlegar News Update '9)

Larry Ci ff,

away at his computer. The company has grown in the last decade from selling
tires and wheels to include repair services using the latest in automotive

technology.

|

|

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POUL ONAOOOUONEIORITIIIIT

vn

7 Big O leads the way in
automotive technology

Big O Tires/K and A Tirés Ltd.
will never leave you flat.

Big © the only locally owned and
Operated tire store in Castlegar,
began on Feb. 9, 1981, selling tires
and wheels and in the last decade has
expanded its service to include
everything from flat repairs to com-
puterized wheel alignments.

Tn 1985, the company began ser-
vicing brakes on all passenger cars
and light trucks. In 1988, Big O in-
troduced the first computerized two-
and four-wheel alignment machine to
Castlegar.

Always leading the way with new
technology, Big © purchased an
exhaust bender in 1989 to
provide exhaust system repairs.

Last year, the i

Also last year, the company pur-
chased a mag wheel changer to avoid

or age of exp
aluminum wheels.

Owner-manager Larry Cher-
nenkoff says Big O will continue to
be the leader in providing its
customers with the latest

“There is never enough time to do
the job right the first time, but

always enough time to do the job a |
second time, so do.it right the first '

time,"’ he Says.
In addition
customers with flat repairs, tire

in the automotive field.
Chernenkoff says his highly
trained, courteous staff is dedicated
to serving their customers the best
way possible from a flat repair to a
front and rear suspension overhaul.
Staff members George Roberts
and Kevin Stein are professionally
trained on a regular basis and take
pride in their work, Chernenkoff

> says.

and bal
charge through its service policy,
good throughout

sells a full line of tires including
Bridgestone, B.F. Goodrich,

Uniroyal, General, Yokohama and

Hanook,

The company also services brakes, H

exhaust systems, shocks and struts.

As well, Big O pro¥ides heavy :

truck and equipment tire sales.

to providing its:
free of ;

B.C. and the!
western United . States, Big O also '

a computerized heavy truck tire
Dynamic balancer which enables Big
O to balance 99 per cent of tires on
the road and help truckers reduce
maintenance costs.

O Tires/K and A Tires in Castlegar, taps

Suppliers of
Quality Paint,
Wall Coverings &
Window Blinds to:

© Home Owners
© Contractors
© Decorators
© Institutions

Curriers Insurance Agencies,
owned by Walter Siemens, has as
its motto, ‘‘Where your business
is appreciated,’’ and offers a full
line of services including
Autoplan, home, business,

travel and life in-

also offers
public services.

With offices in Trail and
Rossland, and now in Grand
Forks, Curriers was started in
1953 and purchased by Siemens
in 1969.

The founder of the company
‘was Carl Currier, who started the
business in a small second-floor

notary

Curriers offers full
insurance services :

WALT SIEMENS
- +. watches business grow

Land transfers, mortgages,
wills, powers of attorney and

office. It was p
George Bergeron in
then by Siemens
following eight years’ association
by Siemens with Allstate Insuran-

ce.

In 1986, Siemens purchased the
Rossland Insurance Agency and
was joined by his son, Byron, as
manager. Byron had worked
previously for several insurance
companies in the Vancouver area.

Byron Siemens will now
manage Grand Forks Insurance
Agency while his wife, Karen,
and long-time employee Lil
Karenko will manage the
Rossland office.

The business ,has thus grown
from an office with one owner
and one staff member in 1969 to

ms are notary
Public services.

Office manager for the firm,
and a20-year employee with the
company, is Irene Renz of
Castlegar. She oversees the day-
to-day operations of Curriers.

Another Castlegar tesident
who is a member of the firm is
Peter Majesgy, a sales agent with
28 years of experience.

These people, and the firm’s
other employees, ‘‘all have a sin-
cere commitment to provide fast,
friendly service,"’ says Siemens.
He adds that the company’s
commitment to service ‘‘is
backed by, the most experienced
people in the area.’”

Walter Siemens “also believes in
service to his community and to

in Trail, and

Grand Forks with 12 employees.

Autoplan services provided by
Curriers includes insurance,
licence plates, registration and
vehicle transfers. General in-
surance services include home,
business, mobile home, bonding,
boats, RVs and travel. The life
insurance department offers term
and savings plans as well as a full
range of retirement programs.

Curriers also offers additional
private company automobile in-
surances.

the industry. He served
eight years as a Trail alderman, is
active in his church, and has been
involved in a host of community
groups including Rotary.

In 1979 he was president of the
Insurance Agents Association of
B.C. and is past chairman of the
industry’s regulatory body, the
Insurance Council of BC.

Siemens is now an executive
member of the Society of
Notaries Public of B.C. and is a
director of the B.C. Assessment
Authority.

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continued from page 4

have a d

“*Over the past 10 years where most major
level

Kootenay Savings

with the business we're in.’’
That business includes a great deal of

Last year's

up 38 per cent,’' Tremblay said.

laid off."”

of we're

“Through all the

rough times, we've actually increased the number of
employees, We've never had to lay anybody off —
we've cut back (part-time) hours, but we've never

about inflation

and interest rates were almost right on the mark,
which also accounted for the group's successful

"That's what management is for,’ explained Joe
Kobluk, manager of advertising and public affairs.

With good planning, Kootenay Savings was able

level of employees,
per cent.’ — Brent
Kootenay Savings C

‘Over the past 10 years where
most em; have a decrea:

divisional manager of marketing

sed
we're up 38
remblay
redit Union’s

to roll with the economic punches, virtually
untouched, he said,

Predictions for the coming year include inflation
rising to around six per cent, largely due to the GST,
KSCU's managers said.

As well, they predict the prime interest rate to
drop to around 10 per cent by the third quarter of

1991, which is ‘good for borrowers, bad for

the

Kootenay Savings negotiated a new three-year
contract with its unionized employees in the latter
part of 1990, promising continued stability for both

and said Ss

division manager of operations.

have three years,’’ Sorensen said.

“*That gives us stability because we know we

Oly

Kootenay Savings Credit Union opened its doors
in 1969 through the amalgamation of three
community credit unions. It now has nine branches
and an insurance agency with two offices. Its head

office in Trail has taken over the entire building and

. **We can get on

assets have incrased more than 10-fold.
“Now that’s progress,’ Kobluk said.

gq clerk at K
to a tel

y Credit Union,
Inquiry.

| Development

continued trom page 2
‘most are from the retail sector.
Maddocks said the Celgar project
jhas triggered the surge in economic
activity.
| Although the $700 million Celgar
Project itself will create few per-
manent full-time jobs — the com-
pany says 30 — the new mill will
create stability in the community well
nto the next century, the develop-
ment board directors say.
' “They (business people) look at
‘Castlegar as being fairly recession-
proof because of the Ceigar moder-
jnization,”’ Stan said.
| Maddocks said keeping local jobs
+ a spinoff effect of the Celgar
project — is as important as creating
new jobs.
“We're doing well if we're
Fetaining our jobs,”’ he said. ‘‘Job
as

retention is at least as ij
job creation.”*

: However, Maddocks pointed out
that Castlegar will, in fact, see an in-
frease in employment over the next
Several months.

» the

board is continuing to promote in-
¥estment opportunities in the
(Castlegar area.

j ‘‘We match an idea to interested
investors or sources of funding,”
Maddocks said. ‘There are a lot of
investment opportunities here.”

| The strategy included Stan’s trip
to Hong Kong last year as part of a
B.C. Ministry of International
Business trade show where he
butlined specific investment oppor-
tunities to potential Hong Kong im-
migrants interested in moving to
B.C.'s Interior.

1 Maddocks said there are a lot of
investment opportunities in the West
Kootenay, particularly along the
Arrow Lakes and the Columbia

last year in Castlegar.

River. But promoting development
doesn’t mean Stan and Maddocks
want to see those areas paved over.

“I don’t think you'll see huge
commercial development but you'll
see it developed as a wilderness,”
Stan said. :

Added Maddocks: “We've learn
from mistakes in the past. We've
learned a'lot in the last 20 years
about mismanagement of the Arrow
Lakes.”

He said development is possible
without detracting from the natural
beauty of the area.

The development board evolved
from a Castlegar city council com-
mittee created to promote and
market property in the Industrial
Park.

Now, the independent board has
taken on a much broader job: To

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